The Dub Genre 3

By 1969, approximately one year after the birth of Reggae music, Jamaica had developed a new art form known as Dub.

Dub emerged when studio engineers began to remix the B sides of reggae vinyl records by fading out the vocals and emphasising the instrumental texture of the song. The purpose was to allow disc jockeys (DJ) to toast or talk over the rhythm track. The disc jockeys of the sound systems would play the dub version while he would do impromptu (freestyle) melodic spoken-word vocals.

In the 1970’s the influence of the dub era went beyond the shores of Jamaica. It is believed that a Jamaican DJ named Kool Herc who migrated to South Bronx In New York held parties where he would isolate the instrumental portion of the record and toast over the microphone as was customary in Jamaica. This spawned the birth of Rap music in the United States.

Pioneers of Dub Engineering: King Tubby (Osbourne Ruddock), Lee Scartch Perry (Rainford Hugh Perry)

Pioneers of toasting (rapping): U-Roy (Edwart Beckford), Dennis “Alcapone” Smith. I-Roy (Samuel Reid), Prince Jazzbo (Linval Roy Carter) and Big Youth (Manley Buchanan)